Government

Have an idea about what should happen to Bedford Middle School once the new middle school is built in the Liberty attendance zone?

You may be just the person Bedford Town Council is looking to help with that issue.

Council is seeking area residents who would be interested in serving on an advisory committee to discuss ideas about what to do with BMS once it is vacated by Bedford County Public Schools. The advisory committee will be made up about seven members.

“Several people asked me about it,” said Bruce Johannessen, explaining why he’s running for Bedford Town Council.
He also believes a citizen owes his community some time and effort.
“I think serving on Council is part of doing something for the community,” he said.
This is Johannessen’s first bid for elective office, but he’s no stranger to government. He’s worked for the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) for 43 years.

Andy Dooley, chairman of the Bedford Moose Lodge’s fireworks committee, would like some help with next year’s Fourth of July fireworks display. The Moose Lodge has sponsored the last two fireworks displays. Dooley appeared before the Board of Supervisors Monday night.
Dooley said the Lodge had a meeting after this summer’s fireworks to decide if they were going to continue the displays.
“We had an overwhelming ‘yes, we’d like to do it',” he said.

Bedford County’s supervisors voted 6-0, with District 7 Supervisor Tammy Parker absent, to appropriate the county’s $89.38 million general fund budget for the fiscal year that starts on July 1. The budget’s capital improvement fund includes $800,000 designated for emergency apparatus. It also includes $2 million for water and sewer debt service.

Unlike the Commonwealth of Virginia, Bedford County has a budget.
The problem is, the county will only be able to appropriate local revenue until the state adopts its budget. Monday night, the county’s supervisors adopted an $89,337,592 general fund budget on a 6-1 vote.

A joint public hearing between the Bedford County Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors packed the supervisors’ meeting chamber, Monday night.
It wasn’t even standing room only. Every seat was taken, people lined three sides of the room while others stood in the hall because there was no room for them.

The Bedford County Board of Supervisors heard from a group of area residents, at its regular meeting last week, urging the board not to close Moneta Elementary School.
The meeting was held on a Tuesday night, rather than the usual Monday night, because of the Memorial Day holiday. The supervisors hold a citizen comment period at the beginning of each meeting.

The Bedford Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual Legislative Wrap Up breakfast wasn’t exactly a wrap up. Although the Bedford area’s General Assembly delegation was able to report on a number of finished pieces of legislation, Virginia still remains without a budget.

Bedford County’s supervisors have set up a new recreation advisory board, approving it at their last meeting in April.
According to Wyatt Woody, the county’s parks and recreation director, Bedford County at one time had a recreation commission, which actually made policy decisions and dealt directly with staff. This commission was disbanded in 2004. Later, Michael Stokes, Woody’s predecessor as parks an recreation director, set up and advisory board, but could never get a quorum for meetings.

The Bedford County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved leasing the four cottages of the former Group Home on Falling Creek Road to Lutheran Family Services.
The non-profit organization will lease the buildings for a total of $120,000 per year. The Group Home closed in January, 2013 after a fall in court ordered residential placements under the Comprehensive Youth Services Act due to a change in state philosophy on how to handle these situations.